How to Set Up a Chess Computer for Your First Game?

Whether you own a Millennium, DGT, or Mephisto model, the core routine stays the same. Getting the board oriented and the pieces in the right starting spots matters more than any button sequence. A wrong setup leads to a confusing first game, so here’s the order that works across the major standalone chess computers.

Powering On Your Chess Computer

Every chess computer needs juice before anything else. The Millennium ChessGenius Pro M815 takes four AA batteries (R6/LR6) and has its ON/OFF switch on the underside, below row 8 next to the power-adapter input. The Mephisto Chess Explorer uses three AA (Type AM3/R6) batteries and powers on with the GO/STOP button. The Mephisto MM V runs from a mains adapter and uses a side switch that slides toward the front.

The DGT Centaur is the one exception: charge its battery fully before first use by connecting the adapter, then press the Play/Pause button and wait for the startup beeps and board LEDs. Whichever model you have, double-check that you’ve used the correct battery count and polarity — it’s the most common first-run mistake.

Placing the Pieces in the Starting Position

Board orientation matters more than people expect. The light-colored corner square must sit on your right-hand side. If the corner nearest you on the right is dark, rotate the whole board 90 degrees before placing a single piece. This rule applies to every chess computer, east or west.

Once oriented, set up the opening position: White on ranks 1 and 2, Black on ranks 7 and 8. The Millennium and Mephisto manuals agree that White sits closest to you and the controls. For the ChessGenius Pro M815, place the pieces on the membrane board with White at the end nearest the controls. The DGT Centaur detects pieces automatically once they’re on the board, so you don’t need to worry about a special placement order — just get the starting position right.

Starting a Fresh Game and Making Your First Move

The most common mistake beginners make is skipping the device’s new-game command before arranging pieces. Different models handle this differently:

• Millennium ChessGenius Pro M815: if the unit prompts for a language on first startup, use UP and DOWN to select and GREEN to confirm. Enter moves by pressing the starting square first, then the target square.
• Mephisto Chess Explorer: press CLEAR and ENTER together to reset for a new game, then make moves by pressing pieces gently on the from and to squares.
• Mephisto MM V: press the two RES keys together to start a new game; the display returns to PLAY.
• DGT Centaur: it starts a normal game automatically after you place the pieces in the starting position.

The setup commands differ by model, so don’t assume one button sequence works across brands. Once the board recognizes a fresh game, make your first move using the model’s input method — typically pressing the origin square and destination square on the board. If you’re playing your first game ever, the M815 manual recommends taking White.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

Three errors cause most first-game frustration. The first is forgetting the new-game command, leaving leftover position data from a previous session. The second is wrong battery polarity or count — the M815 needs four AAs while the Chess Explorer needs three, so check the compartment layout. The third is hunting for the power switch near the display when it’s actually on the underside or back panel.

A wrong first move on some models just gets ignored; on others it registers as a blunder. If the board doesn’t respond to your input, press the new-game command again and re-verify the starting position. The manual for whichever model you own is the final authority, and setup details genuinely vary between brands. Before you buy, check out our roundup of the best chess computers to see which model fits your skill level and budget.